TALK: AYSEL, THE GIRL FROM THE MARSH CROFT

Filmed in 1935, Aysel, the Girl from the Marsh Croft, regarded as Turkey’s first ‘village film’, created a huge impact at the time of its release. Legendary actress Cahide Sonku, also celebrated as Turkey’s first female director, stars in the production, and for the first time, we hear her voice. The source of the story came from Nobel Prize-winning author Selma Lagerlöf, the screenplay was penned by Nâzım Hikmet, and the score composed by Cemal Reşit Rey. Muhsin Ertuğrul, who started the sound era to Turkish cinema, directed the film.

Ninety years later, thanks to a restoration project by Sinematek/Sinema Evi sponsored by Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, the film returns to the screen. In this talk, academic Serdar Soydan will discuss the context in which the film was made, while Sinematek/ Sinema Evi General Coordinator Elif Ergezen will detail the meticulous restoration process, akin to an archaeological excavation.

*Following the talk,…